Disinfecting device



Nov. 6, 1934. L J. McDERMOTT DISINFECTING DEVICE INVENTOR. Lou/s DERMoT Filed Feb. 11, 1933 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISINFECTING DEVICE Louis J. McDermott,

San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 11, 1933, Serial No. 656,212

2 Claims.

a toilet or urinal bowl to automatically disinfect the same and the surrounding atmosphere. Features of the invention are the details of construction, described below and shown in the accompanying drawing which make the device cheap, effective and practical.

In the drawing Figs. 1 and 2 show two different forms of the disinfecting device suspended on special clips from the bowl.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 1 as seen from the line 33 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a detached view of the disinfecting element of Fig. 3 shown with its wire clip as arranged. before insertion into the water aperture of the bowl.

Briefly described, my invention consists in forming a block of disinfecting material such as naphthalene, oamphor, or mixture of other volatile or partially soluble germicides with such or any other desired disinfectants, with a suspension loop projecting at its upper end in combination with a wire clip of special design for automatically spreading into engagement with the bowl when pushed into one of the water inlet holes or vents.

In the preferred form of my device the block of disinfectant is a fiat-sided triangular body 1 as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and it is molded with a wire loop 2 projecting at the top with the legs of the wire 3 embedded within the block. Extending through the loop 2 is a spring suspension pin or clip 4 which may take any of a variety of forms but is here shown as of spring wire bent upon itself to form two crossed legs 4, 4 held close together by a small Wire slip ring 5 but tending to spring open to diverging position shown in Fig. 3 when the ring is forced back by the mere act of pushing the legs of the clip into one of the small water holes 6 of the bowl '7 as the ring is too large to pass into the hole or is engaged with the edge of the hole if larger. The outer ends of the legs are bent upwardly or out of alignment with the main run of the legs as indicated at 4" so as to aid the spread open legs from withdrawal when once properly inserted and to facilitate insertion in the hole in the bowl.

When the fiat triangular block is suspended in the manner mentioned-it hangs clear of the bowl as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and swings freely so that it does not interfere with the use of a brush in cleaning the bowl. The shape of the device suspended from one apex overcomes any tendency of the flush water from splashing, as it first strikes the apex and spreads laterally, and which it would not do if the device were fiat-topped or presented an abrupt stopping surface to the rushing waters.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the block 1' of disinfectant is conical with a rounded upper end and rests with one side just touching the bowl but is free to swing on its loop suspension as described for the triangular form previously de-. scribed.

In the conical form a variation of the spring wire suspension clip is shown inasmuch as its legs 8 do not cross but merely diverge under the action of a complete coil of the wire at 9 through the suspension loop 2 projecting from the block. Various other modifications of the wire clip will readily suggest themselves from the two forms shown. The use of the holding ring 5 makes it very easy to attach the device without using two hands or even touching the wet surface of the bowl.

The insertion of both forms of the device by hand is facilitated by bending the portion of the spring clip adjacent its engagement with the loop 2 as at 10, Fig. l, in a direction similar to the bent ends 4". Thisin combination with the bent ends 4 not only makes it possible to easily insert into and to remove the clip from the opening 6 in the bowl Without the use of pincers or tools, also the bend provides the apex of the spring clip offset from the main run intermediate the ends so as to insure the block hanging free of contact with the sides of the bowl as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 also shows at 11 the initial position of this block and clip preparatory for insertion in the opening in the bowl.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

l. A disinfecting device provided with a suspension loop, a clip engaging the loop provided With spring legs arranged to spread outwardly, and a movable device engaging the legs to hold them close together for insertion into a hole in a bowl and displacing said movable device to permit the legs to spread.

2. A disinfecting device provided. with a suspension loop, a clip swingingly engaging the loop in a manner to permit lateral swinging of the device in substantially all directions arranged and. adapted to engage through an aperture in a bowl against accidental withdrawal, said clip being of a length to permit free swinging of the disinfectant block when the clip is engaged in the aperture of the bowl.

LOUIS J. McDERMOTT. 

